November, 2007 archive

Big Fish Audio has announced the release of LA Bass Sessions Rock, Pop, Funk, and RnB Bass Phrases.
Description: 
These bass grooves come from veteran bass player Daniel Pearson, who has performed and/or recorded with a long list of pros including Jennifer Lopez, Macy Gray, Jessica Simpson, Taylor Dayne, Coolio, Sheila E., Nick Lachey, Bernard Fowler, Kenny [...]

Digidesign is now shipping the new Digidesign C|24 mid-format control surface for Pro Tools|HD and Pro Tools LE systems.
Shown publicly for the first time last month at the AES (Audio Engineering Society) convention in New York, the new C|24 draws upon the legacy of the acclaimed Digidesign Control|24, offering a professional, powerful, and affordable solution [...]

OK - you’ve got the most powerful synths ever, and you’ve got the most powerful computer gear ever, and you’ve got the most powerful kick ass tracks ever - what are you going to play them on?
The NAT Audio Magma, of course - designed to be the most powerful tube amplifier ever built.
With 160 watts [...]

Musicrow has updated Crow Gold Pack. The update includes two new reaktor ensembles: Executer and Chaos.
Crow Executer is an unconventional distortion effect that was designed to deliver unnatural edgy distortion sound. Crow Chaos is a sound generator that produces synthesized chaotic textures-chime bells, wind, streaming water, electronic drowns, and other beautiful evolving sounds.
You can preview [...]

 

 Executer [0:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Chaos [1:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TuneCore, a music delivery and distribution service, has released the 34 Stars compilation, which is available for free download on iTunes starting today.
The album is made up exclusively of TuneCore customers, including Public Enemy, The Dandy Warhols, Steve Vai, Izzy Stadlin (of Guns n’ Roses), recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee Bill Medley [...]

Wondering if the Tenori-On is a real instrument or just a toy?
Norman Fairbanks has released the first album created entirely on the Tenori-On, 7 Days Microsleep, and it is available for free download.
7 Days Microsleep is a collection of down-tempo soundscapes that showcase the Tenori-on. You can preview the album below.
“I borrowed a Tenori-on since [...]

 

 Blurred, Calm and Orange [6:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Slow Motion [2:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Here’s something to cipher on….a dude that plays the piano with his brain:

While it may look like this guys well on his way to becoming the Die Mensch-Maschine, the system isn’t really playing melodies that he’s creating on the fly.
What the system actually does is compose and play music based on the information found [...]

Samples Logic has update its Ambience Impacts Rhythms synth collection to version 2.0. This free update has been redesigned to allow the user additional control to shape and effect each instrument. Along with new hot skins, ADSR and delay controls have been implemented to streamline your production process.
New In Version 2

New skins
Fixed various default panning [...]

Jean-Jacques Perrey and Dana Countryman, champions of the happy electropop style, have released a web-based children’s story called Troll’s Story.
Perrey and Countryman wrote the text for the children’s book and scored all the original music, and they have made both the text and music available for free download, to be enjoyed by children of all [...]

 

 Preview A Troll's Story: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Softube has introduced the Acoustic Feedback plug-in for VST, AU and RTAS, and I got to say it sounds pretty @#$# good.
According to Softube, Acoustic Feedback is the first ever realistic simulation of guitar feedback. After years of hard work spent on perfecting every detail of Vintage Amp Room, the developers at Softube felt obliged [...]

 Acoustic Feedback Demo: Download
 Acoustic Feedback Demo 2: Download

M-Audio is now shipping the KeyStudio 49i music production system, the first-ever USB keyboard controller to integrate a 2-in/2-out audio interface and on-board premium piano sound.
In designing the KeyStudio 49i keyboard, M-Audio engineers focused on the needs of songwriters: a keyboard controller, on-board premium piano sound, software General MIDI sound bank, audio/MIDI recording interface and [...]

112dB Software has announced Morgana, an authentic representation of an early digital sampler, designed to be musical rather than accurate.
Per-voice, Morgana offers extensively modeled VCFs, amp and filter envelopes. Morgana also features a unique interpolation method which enhances digital artifacts and a preamp to shape each sample, simulating a primitive analog-digital stage.
Morgana is also capable [...]

 

 Morgana Demo: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Pixilang is a programming language for small graphics & sound applications, created by Alex Zolotov (NightRadio) and Mik Razuvaev (Goglus) for non-programmers, demosceners and designers.
Pixilang programs are stored in TXT-files, so you can edit in any text-editor. The Pixilang interpreter works on different operation systems (Windows, Linux, PalmOS) and is distributed under GNU GPL license.
Main [...]

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment has been reimagined as an eclectic new rock opera, thanks to Eduardo Artemyev, soundtrack composer for 150 films including Andrei Tarkovsky’s sci-fi thriller Solaris.
Artemyev unveiled a $200,000 recording of the work last week in Moscow. In the audience was Sir Tim Rice, the British lyricist for Jesus Christ Superstar and [...]

Interesting discussion by Mixmaster Morris about Brian Eno and his influence, especially on ambient music: